You said the Coltham mail passed here in three hours?
Very well.

I have the honour of wishing you a very good day, Mr.--" "Halifax." "And yours ?" "Fletcher." "Any connection with him who went partnership with the worthy Beaumont ?" "My father has no partner, sir," said I.

But John, whose reading had lately surpassed mine, and whom nothing ever puzzled, explained that I came from the same old stock as the brothers Phineas and Giles Fletcher.

Upon which Mr.Charles, who till now had somewhat overlooked me, took off his hat, and congratulated me on my illustrious descent.
"That man has evidently seen a good deal of the world," said John, smiling; "I wonder what the world is like!" "Did you not see something of it as a child ?" "Only the worst and lowest side; not the one I want to see now.

What business do you think that Mr.Charles is?
A clever man, anyhow; I should like to see him again." "So should I." Thus talking at intervals and speculating upon our new acquaintance, we strolled along till we came to a spot called by the country people, "The Bloody Meadow," from being, like several other places in the neighbourhood, the scene of one of those terrible slaughters chronicled in the wars of the Roses.